


Chiefs of Staff: The One With The Tickets

by ghostlyandcoastly



Series: Chiefs of Staff [2]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode: s07e19 Transition, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-05 08:18:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16806922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostlyandcoastly/pseuds/ghostlyandcoastly
Summary: Chiefs of Staff series; What happened before they got on the plane? Here's my take on what happened when Josh told Donna about the tickets.





	1. Chapter 1

November 30th, 3:34PM

_ Donna _

I was walking down one of the many hallways in the OEOB when something in the air changed. It’s cliche and perhaps inconceivable but I know when Josh enters a room- or a hallway for that matter. However, matching that change in energy that sent  _ Josh _ messages to my brain with the appearance of a whistling man who was jogging up beside me was more difficult.

“Whatcha doin?” Josh asks, sounding lighter than I’ve heard him in quite some time.

“Um, I have a meeting with Lou about aligning our talking points about family initiatives then I was going to have lunch with CJ in her office if she doesn’t get pulled away.”

“Reschedule.” He’s looking that boyish excitement prevents that from sounding like a command.

“Excuse me?”

“Reschedule. You’ve gotta go pack.” At this point, he’s bouncing down the hall with me. 

“Are you feeling okay…?” I ask. Josh looks giddy. He’s still whistling when he turns his head to me, undressing me with his eyes right here in the Old Executive Office Building with any number of politicians and their staff members around. Usually I’m the one initiating and making moves. Josh is usually hesitant for a minute before he can turn off his overthinking brain of his and follow my lead, eventually taking the reins when we get to the really good stuff. He’s never been quite so forward as his eyes are being right now. “Oh, no. You’ve officially lost it.”

“It was bound to happen sometime.” He says. I wonder if he’s referring to what I said in response to him apologizing for that searing, mind-blowing kiss. He starts humming to himself as we continue down the hall. “It’s funny you should mention that actually.”

“Why…?” I watch as guilt overtakes his features.

“I, um, sort of lost it on Otto. Like made him cry. For no reason.” I stop and raise an eyebrow. “Sam saw. And he read me down pretty good, don’t worry.” He starts talking fast at this point, back to the usual rambling Josh I know and love. “See, here’s the thing- um. Apparently, there’s a life outside this and I don’t wanna be Lou and I can’t be Sam but I want to figure… it out maybe. So now- Okay, this thing between us… I know we don’t know what it is and I’m not good at this but I’m hoping this will make up for that part a little tiny bit.” He’s pulling folded up pieces paper out of his back pocket. He hands them to me, I open them tentatively.

I stare at them and wait for the catch. I look back into Josh’s eyes but he’s averting his gaze. He’s nervous. He’s precious. Especially if this is what I think it is.

“According to Sam, I’m not a silver tongued negotiator or something but I’m going on vacation and I wanted to convince you to come with me.” Looking back at the tickets, I can’t find the words. I mean IT’S HAWAII. IT’S HAWAII WITH JOSHUA LYMAN. “Donna, ya gotta say something or-” I can see him preparing himself for me to say no. I don’t want him to close himself off again.

“You want to take me to Hawaii?”

“Yup.”

“Are there skis in my future?”

“Huh?”

“I asked you to take me to Hawaii for seven years. I’m thinking another three and you’ll get me those skis I asked for.” I think our smiles simultaneously spread. Normally mentioning the past has been a no go but at least in this moment, it seems we’ve moved past that.

“Funny. You’re a funny girl.”

“Call me Barb.”

“Donna.” He looks serious again. “You asked me to take you to Hawaii as my assistant… This is something different.” It’s vague and it’s avoiding the inherent “what are we?” question but it’s Josh and my heart melts. I’m blushing and I look down at the tickets again for cover.

“THESE ARE FOR 7:30!?”

“Well, we should probably get there a bit before the plane boards which is at 7:10-”

“I have to go pack.”

“That’s what I was trying to tell you.”

“You do too!”

“That’s where I’m headed.”

“Okay.” This is happening. “Okay- I’m gonna go… ask Mrs. Santos for the week off then… go home to pack.”

“What are you still talking to me for?” That smirk. I smile at him before turning around to go talk to my future boss. Oh my god.

“Oh and Donna?”

“Yeah?” I turn around.

“You still got that red bikini?” My eyes widen. I’m pretty sure a junior staffer walking by just heard that. I don’t care as much as I should. Josh is running his eyes over me like I’m currently in said bikini. I roll my eyes and keep walking. As I turn the corner, I speed up into what might be called a brisk jaunt. I can’t help myself.

“Oh, Donna! Thank god you pulled me out of there. I was about to nod off talking about my own kids’ pastry favorites. Although I admit I didn’t think you’d start so fast. You just accepted an hour ago.”

“Yes. Which is why I’m a bit nervous asking you this. But please don’t take it as a lack of commitment to this job. I am beyond flattered and since you asked, I’ve been thinking a lot and I’m excited to get started.”

“Donna? Is everything alright?” Helen looks concerned. My nerves gave way to a particular Josh style rambling apparently.

“Yes! Of course. I, um, well I was hoping that you’d be alright with me taking a few days off. Something has come up- nothing bad. In fact, I think it’s a good thing.”

“Donna, if you’re asking to take a vacation, I’d say  _ run _ . As fast as you can to the nearest airport.” Helen laughed and I feel my nerves calm down considerably. “Why so sudden? Are you going alone?” She’s perceptive. Great. Now what do I tell her? I’ve got to go have essentially a sex vacation with your husband’s Chief of Staff because he’s losing his marbles and sprung a flight on me that leaves in less than three hours. Something tells me I should hold off on that.

“I was asked to go… By a friend. It wasn’t… in the plan. I’m not sure there is a plan. Other than hop on a plane to Maui and see what happens.” I answer as vaguely and honestly as I can.

“A friend?” She looks delighted to just talk about something that is normal. I’m going to have to remember to schedule something in her daily schedule that reminds her that she’s human. 

“Yeah. Um, I imagine it’ll be pretty obvious when you notice a certain volume decrease but it’s with Josh.” Everyone’s going to figure out pretty soon anyways. Might as well give Helen this piece of gossip before anyone else has it. Her eyebrows shoot up.

“Josh Lyman? Huh. Well…” She recovers nicely but I can see the mischief in her eyes- no doubt, excited to inform her husband of this development. “You have to promise me details when you get back. Now like I said, run! To the airport! Go, pack!” 

I once again find myself just short of sprinting through the OEOB. I have a tiny red bikini to find.

  
  
  


I’m running late. I blame Josh entirely. Him and the cab driver that is currently driving at the pace of an injured turtle. I already called Josh and told him as much. And Josh Lyman, perpetually anally retentive and anxiety machine, told me to calm down, take a breath, and double check my bag for my bikini and suntan lotion. I hung up on him. Smiling. But still.

When I finally make it through security, the plane was boarding in a few minutes. I had just enough time to grab a water, a granola bar, and gum. Two packs of gum. One spearmint and one cinnamon. One for me, one for Josh. 

I enter the plane in time to watch him sit down. He looks exhausted- he needs to shave better and his eyes have dark circles under them, his shirt is too big and wrinkled. My heart flutters regardless. I take a minute to smooth down my hair and take a deep breath. This feels like a big deal. It’s the first time… maybe ever that we’ve seen each other in context completely outside of work and politics.

When I sink into the seat next to him, the look he gives me is undeniably sexy but something in his eyes says grateful and that’s what really helps me start believing that maybe… this thing between us, maybe we’re on the same page. Finally.


	2. Chapter 2

An hour and a half into the flight, Josh woke up and he felt utterly discombobulated. He was confused by his surroundings. Then he realized he was on plane. And that next to him sat a sleeping Donna. Then the sleep finally cleared from his brain and he remembered. The pain of losing Leo (which every time he woke up he’d forget for the first few seconds), the frustration with the transition, yelling at Otto, Sam forcing him on vacation, asking Donna to come with him. He stared at her sleeping face until the hum of the flight and the peacefulness of her features lulled him back to sleep.

Twenty minutes later, Donna woke up, needing to pee. She asked the woman sitting on the aisle to let her by and the woman smiled at her. She was on her way back to her seat when they hit a bit of turbulence. From where she was sitting, she saw Josh wake up and look around confused then panicked as he looked at her empty seat. His eyes flew up to hers and Donna was nearly knocked backwards at the look of relief and unguarded adoration in his eyes. She was sure she looked a mess but Josh thought she looked just as stunning as ever.

“Hey.” She said shyly as she returned to her place next to him. He smiled at her and leaned over to kiss her. They didn’t stop until the woman in the aisle seat made an audible  _ ahem _ noise. Donna turned red, Josh leaned back arrogantly and slid his hand into hers.

“So this talk…” Josh began.

“Josh, we’re both exhausted and I think it’s a conversation to save for when we’re in private.” Donna said. The complete truth was she was scared of the talk too. That the look of panic in Josh’s eyes when she mentioned it was mirrored in the thrumming in her heart. Josh nodded in response, looking a little worried now. She wondered if he thought this was going to more simple than she was predicting it to be.

Josh thought he was ready to have the talk. After all hadn’t making this whole gesture of taking her to Hawaii make things pretty clear? He wanted her. He loved her. He was pretty sure she felt the same so he couldn’t see what was in there way now. Other than work, of course. But he’d decided to put work worries off for as long as he could this week.

Donna, though, had a running list of issues they’d need to discuss before moving into only having their current jobs being the stressors of their relationship. If he actually wanted a relationship. She still had her doubts. She’d been in love with Josh for so long but had gotten used to the status quo between them. And then she left and everything had felt like the center of gravity had shifted since. Maybe it had been nudged off center prior to her leaving but she knew that the damage she inflicted in Josh’s trust in her was not something that they could fix easily. And she was terrified of trying this, of saying I love you, of seeking out a relationship with him only to be met with avoidance and arguments and the eventual break up. She was determined that if she and Josh were going to do this thing, they were going to do it right. She didn’t want to become the person she thought she would if it didn’t work. That person was sad and resentful and bore too much resemblance to the shell of herself that she was following Gaza and the first few months of the primary campaign. She only got through that time because she knew it was temporary. The severance of Josh from her life in that way… well she did not think the effects of that would be temporary.

They both fell asleep, a little more anxious than before, a bit later. However by the time that their flight was landing in the San Francisco airport, they had melded into one another side’s in the way that they had during the Bartlet for America campaign buses and the long Air Force One flights and once after the second inauguration on her couch both a little drunk. But this time, when they woke up, they didn’t pull apart or avoid eye contact. And that gave the both of them hope.

Their layover in SFO was longer than Josh would have liked. He hadn’t made his own flight reservations in years and he rushed himself when booking them because he was too excited to talk to Donna once he got the idea.

Once they found their gate for their connecting flight and freshened up a bit in the restrooms, they found an airport restaurant that looked like they’d have good food. While eating, Josh relayed the Otto disaster to Donna and in spite of herself, she was giggling. Josh’s exasperated and yet apologetic ways of telling the story made her feel normal again. They were just finishing their appetizer- chips and spinach dip- when she felt her phone vibrate. She had turned it on and checked her messages while she was in the bathroom. There were a few emails that she refused to open, given she was on vacation and that other capable people were CC’d on. There was a return voicemail from C.J. about the message Donna had left with Margaret about going on a vacation and that she could have her apartment back for the next week, thanking her for letting her stay. C.J.’s not-so-veiled threats at jumping down Josh’s throat if he hurt her made Donna laugh and C.J.’s words telling her she was happy they were finally done being idiots made her hope she was right.

“Crap.” Donna said, looking at the caller ID.

“What?” Josh wrinkled his brow, looking worried.

“Um…” Donna watched as it timed out and went to voicemail. “That was my mother.”

“Oh… and?” Now Josh was just confused.

“Well, I didn’t tell her I was going to Hawaii.” Donna said, reaching for another chip. Josh reached for her wrist, raising an eyebrow at her. She looked up at him, feeling a little guilty. “You know how she is. She worries. And it’s not like, um, I told her about us. So I’d imagine she’d have a few questions. Questions that we don’t have answers to.”

“Okay…” Josh felt like he was walking on risky terrain now. “Well, if you wanted to tell her, we’re… together? Then I think you should… If you wanted.” His voice went to the squeaky place again.

“Josh… it’s not that simple, is it?” Donna found herself genuinely asking, feeling pretty insecure herself in that moment. Josh rubbed his hand over his face and sighed.

“I know you want to do the whole talk thing later and in private but what I’m saying is I want to be together.” Josh managed to say this without going up a few octaves but it was said very rushed. Donna’s mind was busy rolling through all her worst case what if’s now. Josh was growing more and more antsy at her nonresponse.

“And you’re sure?” Donna asks. Josh throws his head back in exasperation.

“Yes! Yes, Donna,  _ I’m _ sure.” He was little louder than restaurant etiquette called for. The old lone businessman two tables down glared at them and the young family behind Donna looked over with curious eyes.

“Okay. I want to be with you too. But I can’t tell you that I’m sure. Not until we have that talk. Which we will. Preferably with a better view than here.” She says quietly, grabbing onto his hand as he looks a little hurt at her lack of certainty. Luckily the waiter arrives with their food and they slip back into easy conversation after a moment of awkwardness. Donna is stealing his fries and he’s ribbing her for her rabbit food not long after.

They get back to their gate with ten minutes to spare before boarding time. They walked from the restaurant to the gate holding hands. She remembered once they got there that she needed to call her mom so she stepped away to have a conversation that she was not particularly looking forward to, making Josh promise to save her in a few minutes by calling her back over to board.

Each ring increased her anxiety levels ten fold. It’s not that her mom didn’t like Josh. She did! She was grateful to him during Gaza even though she wouldn’t tell Donna much about that time- Donna’s mom preferred to not talk about the hard things, insisting that as long as you know that you love one another what is there to discuss? This avoidance coping technique had landed Donna in hot water before but now she felt older and wiser. And it was part of the reason she was so determined to not get ahead of herself when it came to this talking thing with Josh.

“Donna! Finally.” Her mother’s voice exclaimed. Donna rolled her eyes- as daughters tend to do when they think their mothers are overreacting.

“Hi Mom.” She says a bit sheepish.

“Where have you been? I called your office they said you left early! Which normally I’d love to hear but you haven’t been answering your cell!” Linda Moss was always worried about her daughter working too hard in a big city all alone. Donna had actually notice the five missed calls before but her mind was preoccupied with CJ’s voicemail at the time. Donna pinched the bridge of her nose, not feeling in the mood for a lecture about answering her phone.

“I am going to Hawaii. I’m about to get on my connecting flight.” She said plainly. Her mother didn’t say anything for a little while and Donna had to pull her phone away from her ear when she finally did.

“WHAT!?” Linda Moss exclaims.

“Don’t freak out. But yes. I am going to Hawaii. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing.” Donna cringed, knowing what was coming next.

“You just decided to up and go to Hawaii by yourself?”

“Well, no. Josh surprised me…” Donna bit her lip, worrying over her mother’s reaction.

“Oh. Wait. Not as your boss?”

“Well, he’s not my boss. The First Lady is now actually. I’m going to be her Chief of Staff but Josh is waving me back over, our flight is boarding. Talk to you soon bye!”

“Don-” She hung up. Josh had not waved her over yet but was looking at her with an incredibly amused expression.

“How’d it go?” He was grinning. She glared at him which only made him smile more. She tried to maintain her withering expression but his eyes just danced with amusement and she couldn’t stop her lips from twitching up into a smile.

“Shut up.” She smacked his arm and he pulled her into him. As she put her head on his chest, she imagined a future with him cracking jokes and grinning whenever she was frustrated with her mother, him hugging her like this, comforting her. Him coming with her back to Madison for holidays, whispering quips about cows and farm girls into her ear. Him arguing with her Uncle Gerry about politics. It made her feel warm and fluttery. She had felt like the outsider in her family sometimes and having Josh be part of her family… would make her feel complete. So she leaned up and kissed him, trying to communicate all of that with a kiss.

During the second flight, Josh read a book he’d bought three years ago but never actually read. Donna read the catalogue about things to do in Hawaii. Every once in a while she’d get excited about something and show Josh- who didn’t really care what they did. But he didn’t mind the interruptions. Getting to watch Donna be excited about these things made him happy.

Eventually they went back to sleep. It was a long flight. Once they finally touched down, the day had already started for many of their colleagues were waking up for work now. In Hawaii, it was around 2 in the morning. The airport was dead but they still got leis on arrival which Josh had already complained twice about being itchy in the car ride to their hotel. Donna watched the landscape go by with rapt attention- he watched her, thinking about what they could do once they got to the hotel.

The hotel was gorgeous without being too extravagant. Their suite was impressive but they didn’t spend much time looking around. Instead Josh tipped the bellhop and starting kissing Donna like he was a man who’d find his oasis after days of being stranded in the dessert. They both laid down on the bed and… the kiss was interrupted by Donna’s yawn which made him yawn. Donna decided to take a shower to get the feeling of travelling off her. He tried to stay awake for her but that effort didn’t last long.

When Donna came out, she stared at the bed. So far in their few sexual encounters they haven’t followed it by cuddling. But she curled in close to him when she thought of that daydream from earlier- about feeling like a family with Josh. He pulled her even closer and was half awoken by the smell of the shampoo on her hair. The blood instantly left his head and travelled downstairs but he was so tired that he just tried to memorize the feel of her arm under his fingertips.

**Author's Note:**

> AN It's been done time and time again; how the heck did they go from "you've got three weeks and six days" to lovey dovey eyes on plane 2 vacation! But here's my little spin on it- hope you enjoy and stuff- if ppl review n tell me they want it, ill post a ch 2 with my take on them in hawaii


End file.
